Warm and Numb
by Threaded Needles
Summary: AU, Rather than go for Anna, Hans decides to stay in Arendelle as a delegate. Eventual Hans/Elsa. Cameos from Rapunzel and Eugene.
1. Chapter 1

Anna was off goofing around with the people during the ball that was held after the coronation. She was smiling so hard her cheeks were red and her freckles were dark splotches on her face.

Elsa hung back, standing at the front while people came to congratulate her. Eugene and Rapunzel had been among the first- Rapunzel's hair decorated with dozens of flowers- but they had left to dance, and Elsa was on the verge of a panic attack without the soothing melodic voice of her cousin.

"Your highness." A red haired man gave a curt bow to her.

She swept a swift curtesy.

"I am Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Prince Hans," She said softly, chewing her lip. The pink skirt of Rapunzel caught the corner of her eye, and she felt herself calm a bit. The dance had ended.

"I have come with a request to stay in your kingdom as a delegate."

The request was simple, but odd. Especially as her first day as a queen. But she nodded anyway, eyes sweeping over his friendly face and spotless clothes.

After the party died down, people still leaving dead-drunk when the clock chimed three times, and Rapunzel and Eugene had long since retired, Elsa allowed herself to fall into her blankets and pillows, the sweet relief of her room washing over her.

When she wakes to the sound of Rapunzel knocking on the door, she notices the ice on the windows dissipate. The feeling is good, knowing Rapunzel will be there for the day before she leaves. She gets dressed, feeling fresh and invigorated for once. She feels like nothing could stop her, really.

She leaves the comfort of her room, and walks down the stairs to the dining hall. She bumps into Hans.

"Your majesty," He says quickly, looking shocked. He's dressed, but his hair is a tangled mess. Hers is just in a french braid, strands loose from the night.

Immediately she feels her heart plummet, like Rapunzel and the thought of pancakes no longer existed. Fear tightened in her chest as she watched Hans straighten his shirt. The ice curls around the banister she has her hand on.

"Well, I have some important work to do. I'll try and meet up with you at dinner."

She nods, pushing herself against the banister, concealing the growing patch of ice.

"Elsa! Are you coming down?" Eugene asked, eyes open wide, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes, yes," She said quickly, heart thrumming in her chestr. She carefully stepped down, reaching for Eugene's hand.

His hand was warm and large, in contrast to hers. They were still thick with callouses from when he spent his time thieving, so she wasn't worried about hurting him.

When she was finally in a close enough proximity, he wrapped her in a tight hug. "It's good to see you again."

Two years ago, when they had came for the funeral, Elsa had revealed her powers. They had been out of control, and she needed to tell someone before she hurt someone again. Surprisingly, they had been warm and inviting and understanding. Eugene treated her like a little sister, Rapunzel had been nothing but supportive and kind, and she had cried, relieved for the first time in years, watching ice melt from the floors and walls.

"It's wonderful to see you to," She said. Her heart still hummed from her encounter with Hans, like the ice was just outside of her reach, slipping, slipping-

"Are you okay?"

She realized too late that the ice had started attacking him, coiling up his fingers and arm. She yanked her hand away. "I'm fine, maybe I should skip breakfast. Have a guard bring it up."

"Blondie wants to see you," He said, holding fast.

"Eugene, she's had brown hair for over five years."

While he was distracted with the thought, she slipped from his grip and went back up to her room, locking it with a heavy sigh, sighing in the frosty air.

* * *

><p>Days moved by in a blur, and Elsa only exited her room when necessary. Anna had restarted her annoying behavior of knocking on her door three times a day, and only stopped when Hans scolded her, telling her obviously she wanted to be alone, so let her be.<p>

Elsa hadn't seen much of Hans either. He had invited her down for dinner twice, and a time he had brought up a thick postage from Rapunzel.

The staff gossiped about him a lot. They had said he was pulling more than his fair share of the kingdom, setting needed treaties, and doing large amounts of charity work. Anna had helped put together a large charity ball where more fortunate gave money, or donated things they no longer needed like clothing, blankets or shoes.

She had showed up for a bit of the ball, dressed in a modest crushed velvet dress and matching gloves, and watched over while Hans danced with pretty peasant girls and Anna flirted with villagers in thick coats.

"Queen Elsa," Hans said, giving a quick bow like he usually did. "May I request a dance?"

He had on a sincere smile, hand outstretched a bit. She shook her head. "I'm not really a dancer, sorry."

She expected him to go back to the village girls in their pretty dresses that Anna had especially ordered be made so that they could have something nice. She was actually hoping he would go back to them, she realized, when he readjusted himself so he was standing next to her.

Even though he was at least two feet away, she felt herself shy away, and she chanted the stanzas her father had taught her in her head.

"I'm sorry about all these projects, it seems like the right thing to do, especially after Arendelle went through that terribly dark period." His voice was even and apologetic, soothing the jumpy feeling in her chest by a little.

"It's fine, Hans," She replied, nodding her head. "Arendelle thanks you for taking such great care of the kingdom."

He smiled, turning to watch the guests, and she felt the constrictions in her chest start again, felt the emptiness draining her. "I'm going to retire," She announced to him, shoving her hands to her side to keep from making sheets of ice.

"I'll escort you," He offered.

"Thank you, but I'm fine." She stepped out of the hall, sucking in the night air that had sweeped in through the open windows. She gave a longing look out of one, knowing she could never leave, no matter how much better Hans made Arendelle.

Summer quickly became a wintery slush, much to Elsa's delight. The cold was calmer than the harsh heat during the summer.

Hans obviously didn't agree with her mindset. The few times she saw him, he was shivering under layers of clothes. She guessed being from the Southern Isles, it made sense.

Hans had started requesting she accompany him to dinner, usually at least once a week. She always declined, debating in her head for a couple of solid minutes before she'd send the guard back with a "No". One day near the end of December he had come up and personally requested she came with him to dinner that evening.

She didn't have a reason not to, and she figured as long as she wore her gloves, there was no need to worry. She dressed warmly for the brittle cold of the open castle, secured her gloves and redid her hair before letting a staff member lead her to the dining hall.

Rather than turn down towards it, she was escorted to a cozy room with candles warming the room and a large window covered in crystal-like ice that bent light from the moon and bathed everything in silver.

The chairs were soft and the food on the chair was all comfort: sweet potatoes, warmed bread, and strawberries. She was surprised by the scene.

"Queen Elsa, it's wonderful to see you," He said, giving a gentle smile. "I hope you find this arrangement more pleasing."


	2. Chapter 2

"It's very... nice, Hans," She said softly, looking around. The room smelled of chocolate.

"I wanted to make sure you were comfortable- please sit-" He helped her sit and then situated himself across from her. "I was hoping to get you on board with rebuilding the orphanage."

"Wouldn't that be a lot of work?" She asked. Not to mention money.

"In the long run I think it'd better Arendelle-" He handed her an ornate plate with her favorite foods. The chef must have made them special. "After all, if they have better homes, a better life, more people working, so in return we have a good economy."

Somehow, it made sense. "Okay, we can do that I suppose."

"Great! We'll postpone until spring of course, so the workers won't have to worry about the weather conditions."

"You're very considerate."

"Thank you," He replied, his thin lips parting into a smile. He fiddled with a piece of his coat, pulling away a loose strand of the material.

"So why'd you decide to become a delegate?" She asked, biting into a pitted cherry. She was curious, of course. His kingdom was much richer and nicer, and he obviously was in line for the throne.

"Large family, wanted a change of scenery." He shrugged, buttering a piece of bread. "I didn't really have much input into how things were ran, being the youngest child, so I figured why not go somewhere that needed my help and would receive it well?"

"We thank you for your help," She said, giving a tight smile. For once she felt in control, though she didn't know why. It wasn't like when she was with Anna and the fears and nerves got so bad the ice wouldn't stop creeping and creating, or like when she was with Rapunzel and everything felt easy and warm and the ice slid from the windows.

She just felt like she could /regulate/ the power.

After she ate her fill, and Hans had entertained her with stories of his childhood, she retired to her room, entirely too relieved to be away from chatter and social obligations. She let her eyes drift close, hugging a pillow, imagining the smiling faces of orphans.

The next morning she awoke to the sound of Anna knocking and in a singsong voice telling her that a letter had arrived from Corona.

The letter went back and forth from Eugene and Rapunzel's print. Most of Eugene's portion was excitement over Rapunzel's growing figure. Rapunzel addressed Elsa's powers that she was having trouble controlling.

[Maybe try releasing it a bit. Have fun with it. Go outside and build snowmen or make sheets of ice for skating. xoxo Rapunzel]

The latter didn't sound terrible, so she dressed warmly in dark colors and boots, gloved hands carrying skates. She bumped into Hans on her way downstairs.

"You're up early," She said softly. As per usual, his hair hadn't been combed yet, while her's was in a perfect plaited braid.

"Thought I heard something," He said. He glanced down at the skates. "Did it freeze last night?"

She gave a nod, not looking at him.

"Could I accompany you?" He asked. He quickly added: "If you want the company."

While Hans went to go get dressed in boots and a winter coat, she went outside and down to a perfect spot to freeze. She took a deep breath, imagining the ground covered in a perfect, colorless sheet of ice sprouting from her.

She lifted her skirt and slammed her foot down, watching ice gather quickly around the courtyard, thick and even. She breathed out, content.

She glanced at the fountain, which was spouting water in loud splashes. She imagined something happy, imaging them spiraling in thin strokes, and let the power flow out.

When Hans finally came out, skates over his shoulders, she had decorated the courtyard in ice flowers and gentle snowflakes.

She wobbled over to him on her skates, watching him quickly lace up. "It's very nice."

"Thanks," She said. Though she was supposed to be pretending this was a natural occurence. Why was she saying "thanks"?

As soon as he was finished lacing she grabbed him by the hands and yanked him onto the slippery ground. He stumbled for a second, but quickly regained control and slid with easy grace and perfect posture.

"I thought you lived in a warm climate?" She asked. Arendelle was cold and brisk for most of the year. The southern isles she had assumed would be a bit more tropical.

"It's not hard," He said, shrugging. He grabbed onto her hand, and she noticed his hands were gloved too, white with red stitching.

They pulled each other along, doing spirals and figures, cheeks burning from the cold and strain of smiling. At one point she pulls off one of his gloves on accident, slipping and grabbing the article. He doesn't seem angry, but snatches it back rather quickly.

Well, it was cold out.

"Are you ready to head back in?" He asked, cheeks flushed from the cold. She was starting to get tired from all the activity, so she nodded and looped her arm through his.

Inside they sat in the comfort of the cozy room, the fire place roaring once Hans set it ablaze with a pair of matches. She stripped of her heavy cloak and her coat and the winter boots, trading them for suitable shoes.

A servant brought two cups of steaming hot chocolate, something the chef had designed that tasted like chocolate, cinnamon and peppermint, and was designed to help warm the body while he sipped it and held it in your burning fingers.

She took her gloves off to drink, afraid of the ceramic slipping from her grasp, and whenever she got jittery she counted to three and closed her eyes to take deep breaths. Hans did not, opting to carefully hold the cup tightly in both hands while he drank. "Maybe you should come with me for some charity work next week. If you're up to it."

She was definitely up to it, more alive than she had been in years, but something twinges in her stomach and she drops the mostly empty cup with a loud shatter, ice quickly forming against the chair fiber and the floor. "No, I couldn't."

"Lots of the girls look up to you," He says softly, placing a gloved hand over hers. She feels herself relax a bit, though painful memories of hurting and crying and isolation keep flooding into her and attacking.

She yanks her hand away, quickly shoving her hands into the gloves and curling into herself.

"Elsa-" Hans started, reaching out for her, but she shoved herself up and out of the way, towards the door.

She practically threw herself onto her bed, locking the door and ice reacting to her scared form and freezing in the cracks and crevices.

There was a knock on the door. "Elsa, I'm sorry-"

"Stay away, just stay away!" She shouted, covering her face with her hands. There was a pause and she watched the ice turn to water and puddle onto the floor.

Weeks muddled by in silence. Aside from the occasional knock from Hans asking how she was feeling, in which she'd pretend to sleep, everything was quiet and peaceful.

She tried to get a grip on her powers, memories of her father gripping her shoulder and telling her to control them flooded her mind and rather than the ice dissipating it'd creep up the walls and freeze the furniture and floors.

In May, when it turned warm again, and it had been almost a year since Hans had arrived, Anna held a birthday celebration for herself. Having been deprived of social interactions her whole life she craved the attention and invited over three hundred people to the celebration.

On the day of, Hans knocked on her door and reminded her of the festivities. She took a long, deep sigh and reminded herself about the dress and the gloves and the hair accessories her maid had laid out for her.

Elsa got ready slowly, dragging on the light fabric of the sky-blue dress and and letting her hair out of it's braid and watching it cascade around her shoulders in wavy strands. She ignored the blue ribbon Anna had requested her to wear, liking how her hair had fallen, and put on her shoes and the white gloves she had especially picked out.

When she was ready she stalled before exiting the room, not sure if she was ready for the crowd. In the end she donned her crown and finally left her room.


	3. Chapter 3

As the queen, she figured she could just stand in the front and look regal while everyone talked to Anna. The idea was short lived, as just a few minutes after she had sat herself a considerable distance away from the party, Hans showed up and gave her a stiff bow.

"May I ask for your first dance, your majesty?" He asked, grinning. His naval medals glimmered a bit on his suitcoat.

After a tense moment she wrapped her arm around his and let him lead her to the dance floor. The orchestra started a new song that sounded vaguely like "Happy Birthday".

They danced in silence for a bit, the gentle sway and routine lulling her. He spun them once before he started talking. "We've started rebuilding the orphanage."

"So soon?" She asked. It seemed like just yesterday he had been asking about it in mid-January.

"It's the end of May, if we want it completed by the end of the summer we needed to start it."

They twirl again, and she has to readjust her gloves before they continue. "How's it coming along?"

"Nearly a quarter done." He smiled, pushing a strand of hair that fell into her face out of the way. "I like your hair this way."

She felt blood rush to her head, and her cheeks darken. "Thank you."

They danced through another song, and though Hans requested a third dance, she politely refused, her feet were starting to hurt.

"Maybe you'd like to accompany me outside then?" He asked, smiling, still holding her gloved hand. His hands are gloved too, but she doesn't ponder it, she's pretty sure it's some sort of Navy costum.

She gives a gentle smile back and let's him lead her away from the chatter and noises. Somewhere, Anna screeches with laughter.

Outside she takes her gloves off and lets herself test herself. She didn't feel happy or joyful like she used to as a child, but she didn't feel sick with worry or fear, either. She just felt... calm.

"So you can make snow?" He asked, glancing at her. She focused on plucking a flower's petals off one by one.

"Sometimes." She was starting to feel tense, her powers rolling under her skin. She didn't know if she could ever control them.

He placed a hand over hers, and didn't say anything. But the action was enough, letting her know he didn't see her as a monster or a sorceress. He just saw her as Elsa.

Out of nowhere, her hand stings, and she rips it out from underneath Hans's gloved hand to inspect it. Angry red marks pulsate against her pale skin and she bites her bottom lip in the pain. Had Hans somehow deflected her power with his gloves?

She tried cooling her hand off with ice, but it only made the sensation worse, and she cried, gripping onto the blistering skin.

"Elsa? Are you alright?" His voice was calm and soothing, even though it was starting to hail on the balcony. He looked down at her hand and he frowned. "I'm so sorry, your majesty."

When she wakes up the next morning, her hand is bandage and laying next to her like it couldn't work. The nurse who had inspected it told her it was a nasty burn and then scolded her for being in the kitchen. But that hadn't made much sense, after all she'd been nowhere near a fire or hot surface.

She peered out the window at the courtyard. Summer was in full bloom, even if it wasn't very warm. Hans was outside with Anna, and she felt a pang somewhere in her chest.

She watches them outside for a while, watches Anna smiling and frolicking through flowers and the trees. Hans seems less enthusiastic, but puts his all into it anyways, dancing around with her.

Elsa slowly sat back in her bed, sighing. She felt a little jealous, not wanting Hans to share his affection. She had thought she was special.

There was a knock on her door, and she hesitated to open it. "Elsa! Hans and I want you to come to lunch!"

She took a deep breath and carefully opened the door, her bandaged hand acting like a glove.

It was just Anna outside the door. "Did you only come outside because I mentioned Hans?"

Elsa didn't reply.

"Because I knocked on this door for ten years and not once did you leave your room but this, this guy appears for a hot minute and suddenly you're spending every second with him."

"He's been here a year, and we had dinner once," Elsa reminded her calmly.

"You didn't have dinner with /me/ once in ten years," Anna replied bitterly.

"That was the past, Anna, things are different now."

Anna stayed quiet, arms crossed huffily.

"Now that I'm queen I'm trying harder, so please don't hate me for trying."

There was a long, tense pause but Anna finally nodded, and Elsa felt herself sigh in relief. "C'mon now, Hans does want you to accompany us for lunch."

"Let me get gloves and a cloak-"

Anna rolled her eyes. "It's summer, besides Hans has been waiting for like twenty minutes."

She grabbed onto the dressed hand and tugged her down the steps and out the doors with her. There had been a lunch sat out on a quilt and Hans sat awkwardly by it, boots and socks stripped off and only a plain shirt with a single button near the throat and pants on.

"Wow, who picked out your wardrobe?" Anna asked, plopping herself down and digging through the piles of foods. She grabbed onto a sandwich hungrily.

Hans shrugged, eyes meeting Elsa's briefly. "Wanted a change of pace, I guess."

Even though she felt uncomfortable, and slightly anxious, nothing started snowing or freezing. She guessed the burn counteracted the magic.

"How's your hand?" Hans asked, popping a grape into his mouth.

"Fine! Stings a little, but that's expected." She laughed nervously while Anna looked away.

Things started to get awkwardly silent, so Anna opened her mouth and started blabbing about anything she could think.

Elsa twisted her braid nervously, watching Hans. He was pretending to listen to Anna, eating a slice of watermelon. She grabbed a bowl of cherries to do something with her hands.

"-And like there's all these icicles on the window so I can never open it without it like them falling and hurting me," Anna said, concluding her story.

Elsa smiled at her sister and then stood up, feeling uncomfortable with the lack of banter going on. "I'm going to retire."

Anna opened her mouth, than shut it, looking away betrayed. "Fine, whatever."

Hans stood. "I'll walk you there, if you want."

Elsa nodded, letting him loop her arms with his and lead her up to her room.


	4. Chapter 4

Anna knocked on her door bright and early two weeks after the picnic with Hans. Elsa had been talking on and off with him via letters that a kind servant would take back and forth from their rooms, which she had found she was able to more thoroughly express herself without getting choked up or ice cracking the windows. "Elsa-!"

"If your about to ask if I want to build a snowman you can leave," Elsa said, and though she meant it jokingly, it came out bitterly. After a moment, Anna slipped a white envelope under the door and walked away, humming.

When Anna was far enough away she got up and plucked the small postage from the floor. On the face was written "Elsa" in cursive. She tore it open, and a heavy piece of parchment fell out. She inspected it, quickly realizing what it was for.

* * *

><p>Her hair was done special for the occasion, in a long and tight braid down her back with ribbon threading through it. Her dress was a light blue, and she wore her gloves since her burned hand was healing. The mask she wore for the ball covered her eyes and cheeks and formed around her nose, a pastel blue with decorations adorning it.<p>

When she couldn't find any motivation to perfect herself further, she left her room and descended the stairs. The party was just getting started, but Anna was already dancing with a man in a dark suit and a white mask.

Elsa quickly scanned the room for Hans, and looked down, suddenly shy, when he gave a wave from across the room where he was dancing with a young woman. Behind the mask though, she felt different, like she didn't have to live in constant fear. She could pretend to be someone else for one night.

Everyone else was wearing a mask so she didn't feel as isolated or different from everyone else. The orchestra stopped their song with a high note, and she clapped politely with everyone else while people shifted for a new dance partner.

"May I have this dance?"

Hans's mask was dark red with black and orange dots. She slipped her hand into his outstretched one and let him lead her out to the open dance floor.

"You look lovely, as always," He said, lips curling into a smile. He spun her towards him, hand tightening against her waist. His suit coat was plain white, no medals decorating it.

"As do you, Prince Hans," She said, letting him sweep them in a circle.

"Are you having fun?" He asked, holding her close.

She gave a smile. "Yeah, I'm not as afraid, I guess."

"Me and Anna figured so, we put this together."

That must've been what they had been talking about the few weeks before when they were outside.

The song ended. They clapped and he bowed. She curtsied before he clasped her an embrace again, leading in the fast and upbeat dance. Partners switched fast, and she found herself being spun by an elder gentleman while Hans accompanied a slender and elegantly dressed young woman.

They switched a few more times before she found herself back in his arms, strong and comforting, and the song ending with everyone clapping and cheering.

"Well, that was exhausting," She said shyly, yawning. Anna had retreated from dancing to talk to a blonde man who was bringing in ice sculptures.

"I'll walk you to your room," He offered, giving her a nod.

They leisurely walked up the stairs and through the halls, gloved hands firmly threaded together while they told stories, laughing and smiling.

"Anna and I used to talk to the pictures, pretend they were our siblings," She said, running a finger over a canvas painting of a women with curly white hair. "We only had each other, we always wanted more siblings."

He looks over the pictures, listening to her stories.

"What about you?" She asked. "How'd you grow up?"

He shrugged. "I had twelve older brothers. I was mostly raised by an older gentleman, I loved him like he was my father." He was quiet, and she realizes they've reached her room. "After he died, I found Sitron, on the edge of death, and nursed him back to health."

"Sitron is your horse?" She asked.

"Yes. Practically my best friend."

She twirled a finger through her hair anxiously, listening to him finish his story. When he was done, she opened her mouth. "Do you want to do something together tomorrow?" She blurted out, not sure if it was even appropriate after he just talking about his dead caretaker. "Like, together. No Anna."

He raised an eyebrow and then smiled. "Of course."

She grinned and turned back to her door, hiding her face by staring at her door.

"Elsa-" He started, and she turned towards him. He looked at her with a glimmer in his eye and held her face softly with his hand. He gave her a chaste kiss, and she felt something rush through her that wasn't fear or calm.

And then it was over entirely too fast and she bid him goodnight.

Elsa hadn't thought through what her and Hans were going to do during their time together. She vetoed several ideas that came to mind, and eventually decided on a walk through the forest. Nature was calming, and if anything went wrong there wouldn't be anyone she could hurt around. Well, except Hans. And oddly she wasn't afraid of hurting him.

She found a warm dress to wear, since Arendelle summers were still brisk, laced her shoes, and nimbly did her hair in a tight bun.

He didn't knock on her door until 8:30, and he handed her postage from Corona before offering his arm. He had abandoned his fancy suit coats and crisp pants. Instead he wore worn slacks and a navy blue longsleeve, riding boots traded for old leather shoes that laced up and he had pulled his pant leg over.

Before they left the castle grounds, she stopped. "Do you want to take Sitron with us?"

He grinned and left for the stables. A few minutes later, he returned, carmel colored horse walking alongside him. Rather than the usual accompaniment of a lead to keep track of the horse, Sitron proudly stuck near his owner. "I think we're good."

They left the grounds, and headed north west into the woods. Sitron sniffed around for grass and berries.

"There used to be trolls in this forest. Rock trolls," Elsa said, giving a tight smile. "They knew how to work with magic. They-" She bit her tongue before she mentioned that her mother had received a blessing from them during her pregnancy for her.

"Must be similar to what we have in the Southern Isles. Nymphs, I think. Once my brothers took me with them to find them to get a blessing or something of sorts, and then we ended up getting lost in the forest."

"That's terrible! How'd you get out?" She asked.

"Oh, the nymphs found /us/. Fritjor and Gustav hoisted me up on a tree to find the castle, and I ended up falling off."

Elsa didn't like the sound of his family, even if he sounded good-natured about it. "Were you hurt?"

He shrugged. "I was eight, I don't remember. After that my brothers mostly stopped speaking to me, so I never really knew."

He was the same age as her when she was shut out from everyone.

"Well, did you ever meet the trolls?"

"Once," She said, looking down at her hands. "Me and Anna were playing, I struck her, and my parents took us to the trolls to heal her."

He's quiet, like he's processing the information. "Is that why you locked yourself away?"

She squeezed her eyes shut. "To protect everyone. I couldn't control it, after all."

"Fear will be your enemy," He murmured. "Let me show you something."

He grabbed her hand and they raced forward to a semi empty clearing and she felt her heart beating in her chest, though if was from the exertion or not she couldn't tell.

He picked up a wildflower and gave it to her. She clutched it to her chest, watching him. He plucked a strong branch from a pine tree and then took off his gloves, stuffing them in his pockets. "Elsa, you're not alone," He whispered, and she watched as flames licked at the branch, scorching it. She felt a mix of fear and wonder, watching him.

He handed her the branch, and took the crystallized flower from her, slipping back on his gloves. She turned the piece of nature over in her hands, awestruck. Intricate patterns ran across it, hollowing it, dark and light contrasting. "You burned me," She said softly.

"It was an accident."

She had no doubt about that, but he showed an obvious extreme amount of control of her powers, compared to hers. "The nymphs...?"

"A curse."

"Why are you telling me this?"

He was obviously taken aback by the question. "I want you to trust me, Elsa. I've been here nearly a year and a half and we've barely spoken or gotten to know each other."


	5. Chapter 5

In a month and a half, Rapunzel and Eugene visited again, this time with a new addition to their family, a little boy name Christofer, whom Eugene lovingly referred to as Chris.

"He looks just like me," He said, toting the one year old on his shoulders into the palace. Rapunzel followed, rolling her eyes. Elsa took note of the fact that she had gained weight in her middle, and no longer stood short and thin.

Dinner was awkward. Chris sat on Eugene's knee and ate from a smaller plate with food cut up, and Rapunzel fussed that he was going to spoil the child. Anna mostly glared at her spears of asparagus and sliced mushrooms, and Elsa chewed thoughtfully, keeping a quiet conversation with Hans.

"So what's going on in Arendelle?" Rapunzel finally asked, combing a hand through her short hair nervously.

"Nothing. How about Corona?"

Eugene shrugged. "There was a contained, viral epidemic."

"That's- wow. Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine," Rapunzel said quickly. "It died off quickly, thankfully."

"Elsa and Hans are courting," Anna said abruptly, stuffing food into her mouth. She looked over to her sister jealously and then let her gaze fall back to the dinner.

"Really?" Rapunzel asked with a squeal. "How long? When's the wedding?"

"There isn't a wedding-"

"-Yet." Hans gave her a look. Right. People courting usually got married.

"We've only been courting a month," Elsa said, sighing. Rapunzel frowned, slipping a spoonful of yogurt into Chris's mouth.

"I mean, we might in the future, and of course you will be the first invited, but we just want to wait." Elsa felt dizzy and breathless, and the ice was slipping from the quiet slumber it had been in for the past month. Hans grabbed her hand with his warm one and caressed her knuckles with his thumb.

"You spend more time with him than you ever did with me," Anna replied threateningly.

Elsa shivered, eyeing Anna. She didn't want to hurt her, didn't want her to have to worry, but it was becoming a more difficult struggle each day.

"Anna-"

She crossed her arms and ignored her. Chris hiccuped. Elsa fled to the upstairs, shaking violently, and when she was in the safety of her room, she slid her hands into gloves.

There was a brief knock on the door before it opened and Hans stepped in. "Are you okay?" He asked, wrapping her in a tight hug. She felt her eyes prick, and tears start streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh, honey," He whispered, running a calming hand against her spine. "Anna just doesn't understand."

She sniffed, ice clambering from her hands across his jacket. He shrugged it off, lying it on the bed. "She, just, I want her to know, but my parents, and-"

She sobbed harder, and Hans held her close to his warm body, chin resting atop her head while he ran a soothing hand across her back.

Somewhere in the castle, the clock chimed and Hans started to pull away, as if he was reminded of social standards in which a man did not stay in a lady's room after dark.

She tugged him back though, needing his warmth and grounding he provided. "Stay," She whispered.

He readjusted. Her ice was creeping up the walls and across his clothing, and despite his slightly hotter temperature, he was starting to shiver. He wrapped her in a blanket, stripped of his ice crusted shirts and wrapped himself around her lovingly, draping another blanket over his shivering frame.

He kissed her temple, brushing blonde strands from her face.

She tried to sleep, but found herself restless, and Hans was radiating heat, making her sweat under the thick blanket he had tugged over her to keep from freezing him solid. She gently woke him. "Sing me a lullabye," She gently pleaded.

He did. Chorus after chorus, he sang in a sleepy, husky voice. She finally felt herself drift to sleep in the middle of a mumbled "You Are My Sunshine".

Her dreams were odd. She was numb, not cold or warm, just an unending numb. She was dressed in what looked like glittering ice, making the pattern of her entire dress.

Anna was there, but as per usual, was making it worse. Making the pit of despair worse than usual, fear constricting every being of her body. And then there was Hans, perfect and handsome, siding against her, calling her a monster.

When she wakes up she's covered in a sheen of sweat, shivering under layers of blankets that Hans had piled atop them.

She laid stiffly for minutes, watching his breath rise in thick white puffs with each exhale. She tried to make the ice melt, thinking of things that made her happy and she loved, chanting conceal don't feel under her breath, hoping to make him more comfortable. Instead thick snowflakes fell.

Hans shivered under the blankets and she ran a hand through his dark red hair. Anna's was strawberry blonde, but Hans took the red hair to a new level. Crystals clung to strands and she yanked her hand away, wrapping it in blankets.

His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled sheepishly at her. "Are you feeling better?"

She shrugged, figuring she didn't need to worry him about the dream.

"I can go get you some breakfast and bring it up if you like."

She squinted at him. "Comb your hair first."

Hans combed his hair grumpily, tugging through snarls, and slid on his jacket and boots. He than told her to hold tight while he left to get her breakfast.

He returned with yogurt, thick slices of bread with nuts and cranberries baked in, and a cheese danish that was her chef's specialty. "I got you hot cocoa too," He said, winking and placing the steaming mug on her tray.

"Thanks," She said, tearing apart a piece of the danish. She held it up for him, popping it into his mouth.

"Not a trouble." He chewed, thinking. "Don't worry so much about Anna."

She bit into the bread, savoring the taste while Hans told her she needed to worry about her own psych before dealing with Anna.

"She'll come around eventually. Right now she's just jealous."

Hans combed his hair grumpily, tugging through snarls, and slid on his jacket and boots. He than told her to hold tight while he left to get her breakfast.

He returned with yogurt, thick slices of bread with nuts and cranberries baked in, and a cheese danish that was her chef's specialty. "I got you hot cocoa too," He said, winking and placing the steaming mug on her tray.

"Thanks," She said, tearing apart a piece of the danish. She held it up for him, popping it into his mouth.

"Not a trouble." He chewed, thinking. "Don't worry so much about Anna."

She bit into the bread, savoring the taste while Hans told her she needed to worry about her own psych before dealing with Anna.

"She'll come around eventually. Right now she's just jealous."


	6. Chapter 6

Three months had passed, and Hans had watched as Elsa scrambled to fix her and Anna's poor relationship. Even when Elsa was being a good sister and took Anna to do something without Hans, she still used him as some sort of metaphoric shield, as if to guilt Elsa further for not spending every second with her.

The guilt was obviously reacting strongly within Elsa, because they few times he'd bring her something, the door would be frozen shut, ice streaks across the floor and snow suspended in the frosty air. He alone had tried to bring her back to the reality. She couldn't deal with her sisters' needs first everytime; after all she needed moments to herself or to let him be in charge of her like she had to constantly be for Anna.

Unfortunately, the situation didn't cool down, and during the second year anniversary of Elsa's coronation (he's twenty-five and has gotten nowhere near marrying the queen), Anna finally snapped what ever was left of their relationship.

"I'm confused, what?"

He loved her voice. Regal and airy but with a tinge of anxiety and worry, as if she wasn't sure she was supposed to be in charge.

"Well we haven't got all the details worked out yet but - oh - can we get married here? We have the room of course, and we can live here-" Anna gushed on while Elsa looked horrified. He had his hands linked behind his back, observing the consort Anna had (not) so carefully chosen. He had a mass of blonde hair and was a chunk of body. He's pretty sure that the consort isn't even royalty.

"Anna, can I speak to you alone for a second? Please."

Anna's eyes flicker to him, as if realizing even if she agrees he'll be there as a support for Elsa.

"No. Whatever you have to say you can say to both of us!"

There's a bit of a crumble in Elsa's deamnor, but she still holds her head high. "Fine. You can't marry a man you just met."

"You can if it's true love!"

He's about to grab one of them, calm them down, but Elsa whispers she's retiring to bed when Anna rips a glove off.

"If you'd just listen-"

"Give me my glove back!"

He's watching because he's not sure what to do. Elsa's in a state of panic he's not sure he can bring her down from, while Anna's hot temper is running her mouth while she clings to the stitched fabric.

"What? Why are you so afraid of love?!"

The temper boils over, and he watches as ice spikes out from Elsa's hand and covers the floor. There's audible gasps, and frightened, Elsa runs off, and he follows quickly, Anna behind him screaming her name as if now was suddenly the time to care.

"Elsa!" He shouts, and she whips around, as if considering running back to his safe arms and then she catches Anna running behind him and ice crystalizes onto the fjord and she flees, ice slick under his feet and he trips halfway across.

He walks back to Arendelle slowly, bones rattle from slipping on the ice. He wanted to follow after her, but the temperature was dropping, and his breath was coming out in white puffs.

"Sorceress! She almost killed me!"

Hans scowled. "You slipped on ice."

The little man glared at him, wagging a finger. "You! You're conspiring with the Queen aren't you?"

He turned his attention away from the squabble. Anna was blathering, pulling on a cloak and about to get on a horse-

"Whoa, where are you going?"

She glanced at him. "It's my fault Elsa flipped out-"

He's surprised it's taken her that long to figure it out.

"-So I'm going after her."

"It's getting late," He replied flatly. Anna and Elsa together right now would be disastorous. "I'll lead a search party in the morning."

He glanced around, snow falling in heavy flakes and quickly covering the ground.

With the declining temperature, Hans had cloaks and blankets distributed and opened the castle to anyone who needed a place to stay, or to have something to fill their bellies.

"I'll be leading a search party in the morning," He announced. Everyone around him turns towards him, while Anna hung in the back to pout. "I'll need five volunteers. No harm is to come to the Queen. We are simply trying on calm her down and bring her home, safely."

He emphasizes the last word, staring down the men and watching as slowly men offered to join, and the women offered to bake bread and pack away warm clothes.

With the declining temperature, Hans had cloaks and blankets distributed and opened the castle to anyone who needed a place to stay, or to have something to fill their bellies.

"I'll be leading a search party in the morning," He announced. Everyone around him turns towards him, while Anna hung in the back to pout. "I'll need five volunteers. No harm is to come to the Queen. We are simply trying on calm her down and bring her home, safely."

He emphasizes the last word, staring down the men and watching as slowly men offered to join, and the women offered to bake bread and pack away warm clothes.

He let people who needed someplace warm stay in the castle. About a dozen families came to stay, and he ends up falling asleep on a mattress because someone says he can't protect his queen if he's running on dregs of the day before.

When he wakes up her quickly dresses in warm winter clothes, surprised to find that the temperature has dropped further. He gathers his men and goes to wake Anna.

In her room she's left a note, and he gives an elongated sigh and grabs it.

[Went to get Elsa -xoxoAnna]

He grits his teeth in frustration. Anna's going to crumble everything he's done so far.

He rounds together his men, and they set out.

The trudge up towards the mountain seemed to take forever, the snow up to at least his calves. He was one of the few men properly equipped, and he saw several hiss in pain with each stride they made, legs swelling red from frostbite.

He was able to track the hooves of a horse for a while, hoping to catch up to Anna, but soon they disappeared and were replaced with tiny footprints and then slowly they were lost in the blowing snow.

The climb took up until dusk, until even he was tired. That's when things started to get weird.

He's wander from the others to see if he can get a good distance, see if Elsa's shut herself in some sort of ice hut, when a snowman bumps into him. "Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!"

He is literally putting up with too much shit.

"Hi," He says awkwardly. Is he talking to a snowman? "I'm looking for someone."

"Oh! Oh! I can help! Who are you looking for?"

"Queen Elsa." At the snowman's confusion, he continued. "Uh, about this tall. Pale blonde hair. Ice powers?"

"Oh! My mother!" He giggles happily, and Hans is beyond confused at this point. "She's on the North Mountain. I can take you there!"

For some reason following a snowman didn't seem like a good idea, but he nods anyways. At this point he's sure he's going to wake up still in his bed before he leaves for the coronation. These past two years have been insane.

"Great! Let's go!" Olaf grabs onto his pantleg and begins tugging him across the snowy wasteland.

He seriously should've gone to a different kingdom.

Olaf took him to a rather large ice staircase. "I'm gonna fall and break every bone in my goddamn body," Hans said, stepping up, clinging to the rail. An ice castle gleamed from the top, and he stared in awe.

When he finally managed to get to the top (having slipped twice), he stops a second before going in. He needs a game plan. Not just /hope/ she's fallen in love with him after two years.

"Elsa?" He calls. His voice echoes around.

There was a pause, and he waits anxiously for her, absorbing every detail of the castle. He realizes he could melt it down if he wanted to, but it looks so gorgeous he couldn't bear to.

"Hans?"

He looks upward and- whoa. "Elsa. You look... fantastic."

She blushes, looking down at her hands instead of him. Her body shimmers with ice crystallizing across her body, and her hair is down in a messy french braid.

"Why did you come?" Her voice is clear and rings around like a bell.

He quickly climbs the stairs to get to her. "I wanted you back."

"-Hans," She whispers, and her eyes drift shut, as if remembering the great times they had in Arendelle. "I can't. I'm sorry."

He's about to beg her, but then he realizes that's what crumbled her in the beginning. He follows her up the stairs. "Can we just talk real quick?"

She frowns, but with a flick of her wrist something that looks like a loveseat appears, made of ice. She sits, then gestures for him to.

He does so, and grabs her hand. "Elsa." Ice begins forming on his gloves, so he rips them off, and watches water form between their squished hands. "I love you. Please come back to Arendelle with me."

She looks half petrified, tears streaming down her beautiful face, and she practically throws herself on him. "I love you too. But Anna - and everyone else- is in danger if I go back."

Okay, well he really hopes she doesn't expect him to stay in the fucking ice castle.

"Yes- but look at how great of control you have right now. And I'll be right there with you."

Elsa looked down at her hands a moment, which were still intwined with him. "I don't-" She stopped herself, looking around, as if debating.

"If you don't want to, I can respect your decision. Anna only has another year before we could coronate her, after all."

Elsa looked thankful for the comment, but frightened of Anna possibly being a queen. "No, I should go with you. I am queen after all. And a queen has duties to her people."

She stands, looking beautiful and regal.

He holds her close, arm wrapped around her shoulders and drawing her towards his body. The door opens before they get there.

"ELSA!"


	7. Chapter 7

Anna walks in, dressed in oversized winter clothes. She peers curiously at him. Elsa clings to him, and ice freezes across his coat.

"Hey, calm down. It's gonna be okay." He squeezes her hand reassuringly, but ice crystallizes over faster than he can melt it.

"I'm so sorry about what happened. If I'd known..." Anna trails off, glaring at him while she fiddles with her cloak.

"No, it's okay. You don't have to apologize. But you should probably go, please." She clings to him tighter, and crystals catch onto his jacket. Anna doesn't budge, as if being up her ass with make everything better.

"But I just got here.  
>You belong in Arendelle.<br>So do you...!"

Hans lets out a little puff of annoyance, trying to give body language that she should leave. He had this under control.

"No, Anna. I belong here. Alone. Where I can be who I am,  
>without hurting anybody."<p>

He watches her from the corner of his eye. He kind of needs her to return to Arendelle.

"But, you're here with Hans."

There's a tense pause. Elsa looks for help, terrified. "Anna-"

Anna interrupts her, however. "We can head down this mountain together, you don't have to live in fear.  
>Cause for the first time in forever, I will be right here."<p>

Elsa closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. He wrapped an arm around her protectively. "Anna. Please. I'm staying here. It's safer here."

"Actually your not."

"What?"

"Arendelle's in deep, deep snow."

Snowflakes fall from the roof. He begins to rub her arms soothingly, but it doesn't work.

Elsa pushes away, and he tries to pull her back but she quickly runs towards the opposite end, cowering.

Anna follows her, still in a sing song voice, not realizing how entirely bad she's making this situation. "You've kind of set off an eternal winter... everywhere."

"Everywhere?" Elsa's voice is filled with fear and she wraps her hands around her braid nervously while ice spikes out from the floor and snow blows from all sides.

"It's okay, you can just unfreeze it!" Anna smiles hard, and he wraps his coat around himself tighter, trying to pull himself towards the queen. Snow rocks all around them, catching in his hair and his clothes.

"No I can't! I- I don't know how!"

"Sure you can! I know you can!  
>`Cause for the first time in forever, you don't have to be afraid!" Anna smiles at her panicking sister. The wintery scenery quickens.<p>

"Elsa!" He calls. She doesn't hear him, too focused on Anna.

"We can work this out together!"

"I can't control the curse!"

"We'll reverse the storm you've made!"

"Anna, please, you'll only make it worse!"

"Don't panic!" Anna's smile droops, but she keeps trying to get after her sister.

"There's so much fear!" Elsa confesses, and for a brief moment they make eye contact. He tries to look as friendly as possible but it's hard being covered in an inch of snow and ice.

"We'll make the sun shine bright!"

Elsa whips back around to her sister. "You're not safe here!

"We can face this thing together! We can change this winter weather! And everything will be all right..." Anna smiles, reaching for her sister.

"I CAN'T!" Fear and hurt spiral from Elsa, waves of crystal like ice spurting from around her, and he dives in front of one right before it hits Anna.

He seriously is so done with this place.

He pushes Anna off him, and rubs his head. His jacket is crusted over with ice. He looks over to Elsa, and she's curling into herself, away, afraid.

"Elsa-"

She turns. "You need to go. I'm sorry."

Anna goes to open her mouth, but he holds a hand over it before she can say anything more. "We'll go back to the castle."

Elsa sighs. "Be safe. I love you both."

Outside the door the snowman and a thuggish looking man were waiting for them. "How'd it go?"

"Elsa attacked me," Anna said flatly. The blonde man followed her closely.

"I saved your sorry ass," Hans said, scowling. No one was listening.

They walked back through the snowy wasteland. He learned the blonde man was named Kristoff, and he had a reindeer named Sven.

"So what's up with the queen?"

"Well she freaked out because I grabbed her glove- she always wore them! And I thought, you know, maybe she just had a thing about dirt."

Anna rattles while he bites his tongue and rolls his eyes. He huddles in his jacket, colder than he had been before. Maybe Elsa was freaking out worse than before?

They round up his men before they return, and he notices how frozen Arendelle is. All his clothes are frosted over in ice and he can't wait to bathe and get into warm clothes.

Once he's inside he strips off the wet layers and quickly cleans up. Even the water seemed cold, and he dresses in thick cotton clothes, taking a comb to his hair for a moment so it isn't so tangled.

"Hans!" Anna said, rushing up to him. She was in a modest dark green dress with a flower print. When she saw him she stopped.

"What?"

"Your hair. It's turning white!"

Well, to be honest, he's not too surprised.

"Yeah?" He asked, and she nodded, pointing to large chunks of hair. "Elsa froze your heart!"

"What?"

"There's lore about this original snow queen and she froze this girls' heart. I suppose Elsa could do the same."

He pinches his nose. "I don't even want to get into all of the anatomy of the body as to why that wouldn't work."

Anna scowled. "It's a figure of speech, though I'm surprised there's anything there to freeze."

"Rude," He said, clicking his tongue. He was getting cold, and he guessed it had something to do with- "I need to go get Elsa."

"No, you need to stay warm and rest," Anna said, pushing him back into a room. "Elsa will come back when she's comfortable."

"That's the best thing you've said in two years."

She smiles, just a little. "I'm not dumb. I just don't know how to handle all this."

He leans down and takes off his boots. Anna pulls more blankets from a linen closet, and then sets to making a fire in the fireplace. "Well, I guess you did try."

"Thanks. That means a lot. Now lay down I'll have Kai bring you some soup and hot chocolate soon."

Anna brought him hot broth and coffee rather than Kai.

"He was taking care of other people," She said, winking. She situated herself in a chair, and grabbed some books off a shelf and began to read.

He drank the coffee slowly, but the cold was piercing straight through his body, and even the scalding temperature of the liquid did little. He doubted he could even conjure a flame right now, but then again, that took positive emotions, and he's certain he's ran out of those.

Anna was quiet for two hours, in which she let him fall asleep after she piled on another blanket. He's sure it's a record for her.

"Aha!"

He wakes up groggily to the sound, while she reads in a quick, breathless voice from a tattered book. "A frozen heart reflects the darkest aspects of their personality and they would come to the surface. Eventually the cold nature would freeze the entire body."

Anna smiled. He had no idea why she was smiling. Nothing made sense.

"There is no cure aside from thawing the heart with an act of true love and kindness."

He turned to his side. Well, he was doomed.

"So who loves you?" Anna asked, patting him playfully. "Got a girl at home? Your mommy?"

"No." He shrugged, shuddering. "My horse loves me. I think. No one else."

"Not your twelve other brothers?"

"No."

Anna was quiet. "We could come get Elsa to lay one on you."

"Like Sleeping Beauty?" He asked. He coughs, ice forming in the air.

"Something like that."

He shivered again, and Anna started a fire in the fireplace, grabbed more blankets and sat a thermos with scalding coffee near him. "I'm gonna go get Elsa."

"That'll work out wonderfully," He said, rolling his eyes. Something hard hit in his chest, and he couldn't breathe. Anna knelt beside him and kissed his forehead.

"I'll be back tomorrow. Try not to die between now and then."

"Never thought of that," He replied sourly.


	8. Chapter 8

The climb back up the mountain took longer than Anna had been hoping for. Sure Hans had made Elsa pay more attention to him, but he wasn't a terrible human. She didn't want to see him die. What had made it slightly easier was she was no longer wearing the oversized clothing from Oaken's.

When she finally arrived at the castle, she hesitated for several minutes. Elsa didn't want to see her. Elsa didn't want to see Hans. And she loved them both.

"Elsa?" She called, stepping in. The ice queen looked up from where she had been laying on the love seat, foot dangling over the edge.

"Anna-"

"Please just listen. Hans needs you back."

"Hans... he can handle himself. He knows how to run a kingdom."

"What?" She asks, bolting upward. "Hans-"

"You hit him with your magic, and if someone - you - doesn't perform an act of true love, he'll be frozen forever."

Despite her obvious distress, the room remained clear of a blizzard or ice spiking out.

"I can't go back to Arendelle!"

"Yes you can! Hans needs you, I need you. Your subjects need a Queen."

There was a tense pause, and Anna wrung her hands together nervously. Hans was probably shivering with a burnt out fire and not enough blankets.

"I - I guess we could go back. Together." Elsa smiles hesitantly.

Anna let out a sigh of relief.

The trek back down was easier with Elsa, who could clear paths rather than bumble through huge banks. When they finally got back to the kingdom, however, the Queen faltered. "I did this?"

Anna nodded, frowning at the ice. "Any chance you can thaw it...?" She trailed off when the blonde shook her head.

"That's okay, we'll worry about that later."

Inside Hans room, a snowman sat in the large chair, talking to the redhead. Hans had turned toward the wall, shivering violently, and Elsa noticed the patterns of ice forming under and over his skin.

"Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" The snowman said, pushing out of the chair.

"I know - jesus, stop saying that," Hans groaned, pulling blankets over his head.

Anna cleared her throat, dumping more blankets on him. "Elsa's here," She sang.

Hans hesitantly peeked out from the blankets. His eyes were tinted blue now, and she felt every breath in her body escape. She sat next to him. "I heard you need a kiss?"

"Something like that," He replied sourly. It was a definite change of pace, seeing him snappy and rude.

She placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him, totally missing his mouth. Her bottom lip was between his, the top one slightly above the upper one. Anna squealed like a schoolgirl like it was the cutest thing ever, until her and Hans broke apart.

Hans still shivered, but color came back slowly, ice disappearing from his skin. He slowly sat up. His eyes slowly turned back to green.

"Thank you," He whispered, coughing, breath still icy. Olaf ran up and hugged his leg.

Elsa smiled, letting him kiss her again.

Little by little, Elsa thawed Arendelle, sighing in relief when she'd feel Hans clasping her close to him. After that she had been unsure what to do with herself. She still wanted to be away, but wanted to be near Hans and Anna. So she let fate decide what she'd do.

Which happened sooner than she had expected, when Hans got down on one knee while they were walking through the forest and asked for her hand in marriage. She said yes, because she loved him. Yes because he loved her.

Hans, on the other hand, wasn't asking because of love. He had wanted the throne, and was starting to get tired of waiting. Elsa had conformed his suspicion of her loving him, though he saw no reason as to why they should wait.

Elsa had decided on a year long engagement, and he didn't care, he had waited two already another wouldn't change much.

Anna had started accepting that her sister loved her, but not in the sense that she loved Hans. So whenever they decided to spend time together, Anna had stopped feeling the need to tag along or demand to know what they were doing.

And slowly, Hans found himself enjoying the time spent with the Queen. He no longer cared about the fancy title, just about the girl in his arms.

He presses a kiss to her forehead, and she blinks.

"I love you," She whispers, kissing his cheek. She stands, probably to go back to her room.

"I love you, too," He replied, this time meaning it.


End file.
